For Us
by LindseyDanielle725
Summary: They're nearing the end of the 74th Hunger Games when Katniss finally realizes that their relationship isn't just an act anymore. They've risked their lives for each other, and somewhere along the line she actually opened her heart to him. Call it survival instinct, but they need each other. But now a new, primal need has formed, one Katniss never even knew she had.


**Hello everyone! It's been a long time since I've written a fanfiction for this site, or any fanfiction really . I lost my old account information, so it seems I'm starting all over, but with a whole new fandom. I couldn't hold back my Everlark plotbunnies anymore, and it was time to write while I had a little free time on my hands! I hope y'all enjoy "For Us", it was all inspired by a plot request I saw on Tumblr. The person had requested a scene of Everlark in the cave during the 74th Hunger Games, where they have their first sexual experience with each other. And hopefully I did it justice! **

**All rights are reserved to the wonderful Susan Collins, and the fantastic world that she created. **

**I just like to write about it.**

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They're on camera, she knows it; they both do. She knows the whole world is probably watching as the camera zooms in on their lips which were currently locked in a slow and somewhat innocent kiss. The star crossed lovers from distract twelve were putting on a show, but only she and Haymitch knew it. She wasn't quite sure what made her kiss him this morning, but when she woke curled up in his arms after sharing an intimate kiss the night before, it seemed the right thing to do. Even she might be falling for this act she's putting on; she hopes that all of this is helping Haymitch get the donations they need. Their survival might just depend on it. She tries not to think of Gale, who was back home and probably watching this exchange while surrounded by both of their families. As Gale crossed her mind, she slowly started to pull back from the kiss and Peeta's hand went to cup her cheek, not quite ready for the kiss to end. But when he opened his eyes, he was taken aback by her lack of injury.

"Whoa, Katniss. Your head." The large cut that was there last night was now mostly healed, the only thing left was a little dried blood. Katniss raised her hand to the cut, surprised to not even feel a welt where the knife had sliced her skin. The cut was worth it, and although she nearly died in the process, she was able to get the medicine she needed for Peeta. He was on the brink of death; she'd seen her mother deal with people who were so close to death before, and she knew what they looked like. Peeta had needed help, and she was willing to risk her life for him. She had to drug him to do it, but at least he would be alive to be mad at her for it. The thought of losing Peeta caused her stomach to turn in an odd way. She needed him to get through this hell. They needed each other. And now they had the chance to both go home as victors.

"Your leg?" She asked, pulling back the sleeping bag they were both crammed into. It was the only option she had had to keep them warm throughout the night. The game makers were trying to freeze out the tributes during the night, she assumed, because the temperature seemed to plummet drastically throughout the night. Peeta's leg revealed that it too was almost healed. His wound being much worse than hers was, it would take a little longer to heal completely.

"I doesn't even hurt." His blue eyes lit up, running his hand over scarred skin.

"It's not fully healed yet though. You need to stay here and save your energy." She said, standing up and grabbing her bow.

"Where are you going?"

"We need food, and fresh water. I'll be back."

He went to argue with her, not wanting her out there alone. Especially when there were still three tributes out there waiting to kill her. He couldn't protect her from the inside of their cave. But before he could say anything she leaned down and calmed him with another kiss. She ignored how natural that act seemed to be between them as she stood back up. "I'll be safe. I promise." And with that, she left.

She stayed within ear shot in case someone found him in the cave, he wasn't in the best position to defend himself. But within that small perimeter, there wasn't much she could do for food besides the assortment and red and black berries she had collected. Any game she shot they would have to cook, and that wasn't an option right now. Especially now that everyone has what they needed, they're all probably stronger and ready to get back to the hunt. The last thing she needs to do is send them a smoke signal of their location. She wandered a little further away from the river and the cave and came across a small pond and immediately recognized the tall grass along the far edge. Katniss roots. Checking her surroundings, she sat down her bow and pulled off her shoes. After ten minutes of digging with her feet, she was able to pull up half a dozen Katniss roots. They're better cooked, but they could eat them raw. She refilled their waters and packed up the berries and roots into her backpack and swiftly made her way back to the cave. She scanned the surroundings as she got closer, making sure no one was around to see her enter.

Peeta let out an audible sigh of relief when she ducked into the cave. Maybe she had been gone a little longer than she thought? "I was about to come looking for you." He admitted, he had been in the process of tying his boots when she walked in. She stopped herself from rolling her eyes, remembering the cameras. 'Remember, you love him.' She told herself, and put on a small smile.

"Sorry I took a little longer than I thought. I had to go a little far to actually get some food." She sat down her bow and backpack and took out the roots and berries she had collected, along with their water. "It's not much, but I couldn't risk cooking any squirrels or rabbits." She took her seat back down next to him and rationed out the food, giving him a little more because he needed the energy to heal. Besides, she was from the Seam. Hunger didn't affect her like she knew it affected him, he had always had a full stomach growing up. Something that most people in District 12 weren't so fortunate to have.

They sat in relative silence as they ate, only the sound of rain that had begun to fall outside of their cave surrounded them. The rain meant it was only going to be colder tonight, and that meant another night of sharing her sleeping bag. Which honestly wasn't the worse thing. Peeta was warm, and comforting. He made her feel safe, even if he was in no shape to protect her had there been a need for him to. It was better than sleeping in a tree, that was for sure.

"What type of root is this?" Peeta asked, holding up the Katniss root. The sound of his voice brought Katniss out of her thoughts.

She smiled, remembering her days by the pond back at home with her dad before he passed, they would spend hours in the spring digging up Katniss roots with their toes, relaxing in the cool water. "Katniss roots." She answered, and Peeta couldn't help but smile back. It was the first time he'd seen her kind of _really_ smile since before Effie had pulled out Prim's name from the bowl.

"You're named after a plant?" He teased, taking a large bite out of the root.

"You're named after bread." She retorted. "Your family owns a bakery and they named you after bread. Creative." She played it off as a tease, but her father had been the one to name her, and she didn't take kindly to it being insulted. 'Cameras, Katniss. Remember, you love him.' She could almost hear Haymitch's slurred voice in her head.

"It's beautiful. I've always loved your name." He leaned back against the wall of the cave, ignoring her jab about his name. He'd heard all of it before throughout grade school.

At this Katniss leaned back against the wall next to him, both having already finished their food. "Peeta's kind of cool too. It's unusual." She wasn't as good at complimenting, but her attempt made him smile.

He grabbed their sleeping bag and laid it out, then untied his boots and took them off before climbing into the makeshift bed. The temperature was already starting to drop and the rain was coming down harder now. "Come here, please?" He held open the top of the bag with one hand and grabbed her hand with his other. With hesitant fingers, she took off her shoes before joining him in the sleeping bag. There wasn't enough room for them to sleep shoulder to shoulder, so he wrapped his arm around her and she settled against his chest as she had the night before. Only this time, neither of them were bleeding or dying. It was a welcomed change.

"I'm glad you're okay." She said, his steady heart beat under her ear calming her of any worries about his health.

"Thank you for saving me. You scared the hell out of me though, Kat." His hand was playing with the end of her braid as they spoke. "You could have died out there. It wasn't worth you risking your life."

"Yes it was. You're alive. And I'm fine. Thresh saved my life." She lifted her head a bit so she could see him. His body heat was already starting to warm her up and she could feel her toes again.

"Remind me to thank him when I see him." He smiled, although they both knew that wouldn't happen. If they saw Thresh again, he would probably try to kill them. There wouldn't be any pleasantries.

His fingers moved to raise her chin a little higher and he slowly brought his lips down to claim hers. This kiss was different than any of the others, her lips felt warmer against his, more welcoming. When her hand came up to rest against his neck, he took that as permission to further deepen the kiss. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking for permission which she hesitantly granted. What was she doing? They'd shared enough kisses today for them to look in love, hadn't they? But the feeling settling in her core made her understand this kiss wasn't for the cameras or the petty entertainment of the Capitol. This was for them, and she wished more than anything she could shut out the rest of the world from this moment.

When she wrapped her arm around his neck, he pulled her to lay above him, her thighs resting on either side of his. "Katniss." He whispered against her lips, he needed her to look at him. He wanted to know that was because she wanted to, because she wanted him. "For us?" He whispered lowly against her ear, knowing she would understand the meaning.

Katniss pulled back, and sat up as much as the sleeping bag would allow, which wasn't very much at all. His eyes searched hers in the darkness and she could see the desperation. He wanted this to be real for them, not some ploy to keep the games interesting. How much he knew about this 'act' she wasn't sure, but based by his question she knew he might assume something. But, now wasn't the time to fall in love or date anyone. Now was the time for survival, both in the games and at home. Her life had been about survival since her father passed, and it would continue to be that way unless they won. She would never have to worry about her or Gale's family going hungry again. Gale. She couldn't imagine her life without Gale, he had been a saving grace to her and her family; and she valued his friendship more than anything in this world. Yet, in this moment she valued Peeta and his warmth more than anything. She had never felt for Gale what she was currently feeling for Peeta. Here with Peeta, in this dark cave surrounded by death, she had never felt more alive. And that scared her.

"Us." Was all she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, but he could feel her words against his lips.

Their lips connected again, but this time with more passion than ever before. She could taste the need for each other in the kiss, and without even realizing what her body was doing, or for that case why is was doing this, her hips began to roll against his. The pleasant sensation of the friction against her core caused her to sigh against his lips and his grip on her to tighten. What surprised her next was the hardness she felt against her thigh when she rolled her hips against him again. She broke the kiss and started at him, her eyes wide in question. Sure she knew about sex and what the male anatomy does when aroused, they all had to take a lesson on it in school, but reading about it in a textbook was much different than experiencing it.

"Sorry, I can't really help it." He said, not even the slightest bit bashful. He had imagined something like this happening so many times before, alone in his bedroom or in the shower. Never in his life had he thought that a fantasy might actually come true. Although his fantasies never had them fighting for their lives in the Hunger Games. They usually took place in the back of the bakery, in the woods where she hunted, and even in a private classroom at school. But in that moment he remembered the cameras, and the fact that both of their families could see what they were doing. He wanted to be with Katniss more than anything, but not like this. This moment should belong to them.

When she began to roll her hips against his again, eliciting a groan from deep within his throat, he grabbed her hips to stop her. "The cameras." He said, this time not trying to whisper. Someone needed to be a voice of reason, and he hated that it was him. He could control himself better if it were Katniss telling him to stop and not his own voice.

She sighed, he was right. It might be dark in the cave, but they both knew from watching previous years of the games that the cameras had great night vision. It wasn't fair to tempt him anymore, or herself for that matter, so she moved off of him and settled back against his chest, his heart racing beneath her. He kissed the top of her head, trying to ignore the ache in his pants. When this usually happened he was able to take care of it, but he couldn't do that with Katniss here or the presence of the cameras. He reached down and adjusted his pants, alleviating the tightness just a bit.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, and he could practically hear the blush on her face.

"It's fine. I just wish we were alone." His hand made its way to the small of her back, rubbing small circles beneath her shirt. She tried to tell herself that the chills that sprang up were due to the cold and not the ministrations of his hand. At his admittance, she subconsciously closed her legs a little tighter. His words and touch were giving her new sensations that she had never felt before. It could only be described as a burning need, she just wasn't sure what for. He noticed the movement and smiled, kissing her head once more. "Turn around."

"What?"

"Just do it. Trust me." With a sigh she obeyed, turning her back to him. He moved onto his side and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest tightly. She could clearly feel his arousal against her lower back now, and she pressed herself against him enjoying his sharp intake of air. All of this was so foreign for her and it was causing excitement to course through her veins.

His arm that was around her began to raise her shirt a bit, slowly running his hand over her stomach. She normally was never embarrassed about her thin frame, but beneath his hands she felt so small. They were callused from the years working at the bakery, but warm and soft against her skin. His lips found the exposed skin of her neck and placed small, open-mouthed kisses along it, reveling in the sighs she emitted in response. She gasped when she felt his hand undo the button on her pants. No one had ever touched her there, not even herself.

"Do you trust me?" His voice was low and hoarse against her ear.

"Yes." It was the truth. Yet just two days ago, she had lost all trust in him. He had allied with the careers and was on the hunt for her. The thought hadn't crossed her mind that he was just trying to keep her safe from them. He risked his life for her, and damn near died for it.

She felt him smile against her neck as he unzipped her pants and slowly slipped his hand inside the clothing. "Tell me if you want me to stop, and I will." He promised in a low whisper that only she could hear. She merely shook her head in response, his fingers were already rubbing small circles over her most sensitive area and she wouldn't dare tell him to stop now. Thankfully with this position, they looked as if they were just cuddling, his movements camouflaged by the sleeping back and the night.

He moved her underwear aside and made contact with her moist lips, and they both released a sigh. He wanted to see her, touch her, taste her more than anything, but he could settle with this for right now. It was all they could do without blatantly displaying their affection for the entire world to see. "You're wet." He whispered proudly, his lips now kissing behind her ear.

"Sorry?" She questioned, unsure whether or not that was a good thing.

"Don't be. It's great. So great." He increased the pressure of his fingers, and her hand grasped his wrist, surprised by the sudden sensation within her. She quickly decided that she needed more of whatever that was. She felt as if her body was on fire, in the best possible way. She was burning with a need she had never experienced before.

His fingers moved just a little more and he found her opening, slipping a single finger inside of her. She welcomed the foreign intrusion, moving her legs a little to give him more room. She had heard of guys doing this before, a lot of the girls at school used to talk about their boyfriends and the things they did. Katniss had never had time to sit around for those conversations; she usually left school right after the final bell to escape to the woods to meet up with Gale. Most assumed that Gale and Katniss were sneaking off for a rendezvous, little did they know they were literally fighting for their survival on a daily basis. Romance and relationships were never something that Katniss gave a lot of thought about, although Gale had mentioned it quite a few times. Growing up, having kids. Though she swore she never would, not in a world where she could be subjected to losing a child to murder from the Capital's games or from hunger.

She rocked against his hand, needing more pressure. He added another finger and set a slow pace with his hand, and the sounds she was making would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life, he was sure of it. "Peeta." She sighed, quickly biting down on her bottom lip as he increased the pace of his hand. He was thankful for his older brothers now, and all of the conversations he had to endure listening to while they rolled out dough in the bakery. It was their advice that made him curl his fingers inside her in a 'come hither' way, having been told that drives a girl wild. They weren't wrong.

Katniss let out a low moan, arching her back against him. If it wasn't obvious before what the couple was up to beneath the sleeping bag, her sounds were making it quite obvious. He was beyond caring at this point, though. His focus was on Katniss, and making her feel as good as he possibly could. He could feel her clenching against his fingers, and he began to rub her with his thumb and before she even knew what was happening she came around his fingers. His name left her lips in a strained sigh, her hand gripping his wrist almost painfully as she rode out her climax. She wasn't quite sure what that feeling was, but it was the best thing she had ever felt. Better than the feeling she got when she shot her first buck, allowing her family to eat well for two weeks.

She turned her head to face him, capturing his lips with hers in a heated kiss. His hand was still barely moving inside of her, making sure she was completely satisfied before slowly slipping out of her. He wanted to bring his hand up to his lips to taste her, but he couldn't do that with the cameras here. So he regretfully wiped the remnants of her orgasm off on his pants. He broke this kiss first, giving her a wide smile. "Was that good?"

"Amazing. I don't even know what that was, but I want more." She laughed softly, zipping and buttoning her pants back up despite her words.

"Anytime." He promised, reaching down and adjusting himself once more. His erection was particularly painful now, finding her finishing just from his hand to be the biggest turn on in the entire world.

"Should I . . . help you with that?" She asked, unsure of what to do.

"If we were anywhere else, I would take you up on that offer. But not here, it's a little more obvious if you were to touch me than it is when I touch you." He whispered, thankful for the rain outside. It was drowning out their voices, but just as he thought that the rain died down. Apparently the game makers had realized the same thing, and he knew for sure they were watching.

"We're being watched." She whispered, coming to the same conclusion. He had rolled back onto his back once more, and she found her way back to settling against his chest. His left hand grabbed her right and intertwined their fingers.

"We'll be out of here soon. There's only five of us left, and they're not gonna let us hide out forever." He was speaking openly now, not concealing his voice from the cameras. It wasn't that long after he spoke that they heard the familiar cannon fire, followed by screams. The games were starting again; now that Katniss and Peeta had given their little show it was time to start the action again.

"We need to get out of here." He said, sitting up quickly. He didn't know what was causing the screams, but it seemed to be getting closer and he didn't want them to get trapped in the cave with whatever it was. They both pulled on their shoes and Katniss collected their small amount of supplies. She didn't see the games continuing more than another day, but just in case she didn't want to get caught without the sleeping bag during the night.

Peeta stopped her just as they were about to flee the cave and kissed her, both his hands cupping her face. It wasn't long, but it expressed everything he wanted to say to her in just that simple gesture. "Let's go win this. For us." His blue eyes met her steel grey ones, and she nodded, her hand reaching up to lay over his.

"For us."

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**Well, there you have it. This is only a one shot, but if requested I might post an epilogue of what happens after they win and go home. From that point it'll be a bit different from the book because as y'all just read, it turns out Katniss's feelings weren't all for show. But that's only if its requested. I've learned from experience that I am not good with keeping up with multi-chapter fics, so I'm going to be sticking to one or two-shots for a little while.**

**Anyway, I hoped y'all enjoyed! Be sure to review and let me know what you think, it makes my day! :)**

**-Lindsey**


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